Reverse cascading



Nov. 1l, 1952 Filed March 29, 1950 C. J. RIDGLEY REVERSE CASCADING 2 SI'iEETS-SlfiEET l Nov. l1, 1952 c. J. RuzvcsLEYv 2,617,861

REVERSE CASCADING Filed March 29, 1950 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 72 IN VEN TOR. 73 on/va/usfF/aaLk-y Patented Nov. 11, 19512 UNITED STATES PATENT GFFICE Claims.

My invention relates to novel electrical systems and more particularly relates to circuit breakers included in such systems in which the circuit breakers are prevented from opening on fault currents in excess of their interrupting rating.

In electrical distribution systems, circuit breakers protecting the source of electrical power are connected in electrical proximity to this source. Ccrrespondingly there are circuit breakers connected to the distribution circuit, the main fee-:ler circuit, branch feeder circuits and finally, circuit breakers for protecting individual loads.

In many such systems, there has recently been developed selective tripping systems, each of the circuit breakers in the system has an individual time current characteristic responsive to fault currents. The circuit breakers electrically nearest the load have shorter trip time characteristics for the same current than circuit breakers further removed from the load; i. e., the circuit breakers electrically closer to the source each having successively longer time current characteristics. Accordingly, for the same fault current value, it takes longer for the circuit breaker nearest the source to trip than the breaker more remote therefrom.

By this arrangement, as will now be apparent, the circuit breaker nearest the fault will open i'lrst in response to the fault, thus opening the minimum amount of system while still isolating the fault. Power interruption is thus reduced to a minimum. Such a system is described in Patent 2,439,165.

In such a system, all of the circuit breakers in practice have the same interrupting capacity so that each can take care of any fault current that may occur. In practice, it has been found that the economics of system requirements, i. e., cost and space requirements, of circuit breakers, makes it impractical to have all of the circuit breakers of suicient interrupting capacity to interrupt the maximum calculated fault current that may occur in the system.

This is particularly true of enclosed switchgear units where the fault current beyond `the branch circuit breakers may still not be substantially less than that which might occur at the main circuit breaker.

For such systems, it has been found that it is economical to use circuit breakers cascaded, i. e., a series arrangement of circuit breakers in which the successive circuit breakers have successively graded interrupting capacities. In such a system the circuit breakers nearest the load have the lowest interrupting capacity.

The circuit breakers in a convention cascadcd system are provided with instantaneously operating trip elements set to operate in response to predetermined fault currents; this instantaneous trip value being related to the interrupting rating of the circuit breaker next in line toward the load end of the system and which has an interrupt rating less than that required. Thus, for example, a breaker at the load end may have an interrupting rating of 15,000 amperes; that is to say, it can interrupt a fault current of 15,000 amperes but no more. In that case the next breaker electrically positioned toward the source would have an instantaneous operation of its trip magnet at about 12,500 amperes so as to be sure to trip in time to interrupt the fault which the rst circuit breaker does not have the capacity to clear. This same relative arrangement obtains for each of successive electrically adjacent circuit breakers.

Although the arrangement described above makes certain that a breaker having the necessary interrupting rating opens in time to interrupt the fault current, it was found in practice to place a severe burden on the smaller breaker in series with it which opened simultaneously with the larger circuit breaker but did not have the necessary interrupting capacity. The arc that formed across the contacts of this circuit breaker frequently damaged the contacts before it was extinguished by the operation of the larger circuit breaker.

I have discovered that inasmuch as only the circuit breaker which has the necessary interrupting capacity will in the end actually interrupt the fault, it is unnecessary to place any extra burden on the smaller circuit breaker.

In accordance with the present invention, I prevent the circuit breaker Which lacks the necessary interrupting capacity for any particular fault from opening its contacts at all in response to such a fault current. I achieve this result by providing individual time delay characteristics for the tripping mechanism of each of the circuit breakers having the characteristic that the circuit breaker Which is nearest the load has a shortest time of operation in the long time overload range, and in the short time short circuit range up to about its interrupting capacity. However, at or just less than the interrupting rating of the circuit breaker, the time of operation of the trip device becomes longer than for the next adjacent larger circuit-breaker.. I callthis reverse cascade.

Accordingly an .object ofv my invention is to provide a novel circuit breakersystem in which 3 a novel arrangement of circuit breakers connected in cascade is provided with mechanisms for eiTecting faster circuit opening operation of the circuit breaker nearest the fault than for the next larger electrically adjacent circuit breaker for all values up to a predetermined percentage of the interruptingrating of the` circuit breaker and V'slower circuit opening operation than the same next larger circuit breaker for current value s at and above the predetermined percentage of the interrupting rating.

A further object of my invention isA to provide a novel circuit breaker whichghas 'a noveltime characteristic curve and novel blow-open and blow-closed constructions of the 'movable 'contact operating mechanisms.

Other objects will become apparent from the detailed description which follows in 'connection with the drawings in which:

'F'I lure 1 shows'aseriesjof time current characteristic -curvesfof 1a lplurality of 4circuit breakers arranged Iin :cascade in accordance with my inveffih:

Figure 2 ijs a schematic circuit diagram of cirul-beales arranged "mfcalscade 'and Figure -3 is a schematic 'drawing of a vrepref's'enta-tive over current `'device shown in conjunct n 'vvithja blow-oiie'n blow-closed circuit bl'iaknmhhismf, c Referring to j-Figure '2,V I have vrsch'eina'tically shown here a v"circuit breaker II adjacent vto a generatorforjother vsource of electrical power. Circuitfbreaker I I is t'connected to a tie bus I2 to fwhich Yindividual branches, having circuit 'breakers 13,19 'and 7I5 are connected. The ciric yit breaker I-3 inturn is connected to a tie bus I6 fr`orh which Yindividual Vcircuits `protected by y-i'ndividu'al circuit breakers, such as I'I, `extend as shown. Circuit breaker `I I in turn is connect- `edto l c"1`1's, "'I-Ifto which individual lo'ad circuits j' otected by individalfc'ircuit breakers I8 are be,facedV The circuit "breaker 't8 `in my particular illus'trati'onjifsshown V'as a' ngajcontinuous curj -10i 22.5'2lmpees;an interruptmgrati'ngior 1 5,'000 farn`p eres; and "a short 'time pick-'up off270oamperes. Thislatter'mea'ns "that :for a V'conti`r1i1 n"1s flow 4vof 2 25 amperes Ythe f'circ'uit breaker 'trip v"mechanism Awill not respond. f, however, the vco'ntiriuous V'current rises above 225 amperes, the trip mechanismwill respond in varying 'times I'depending fuponfthe overload Ycur- "int assho'wn by v'the curves 'of'Fig 1. 1 rieuieglgcrve represents 'tHe timeeurrent char l f'o'r-jcircuit breaker I8 fotlie load. Curve'2 is 'the time current characte isticcur've for 4'circuit :breaker :I "next to the c1rcui tfbreaker I an'djelectrically fc ser "than "circuit breaker I8 tothe source. Curve 3 is rthe ftrne current Icurve 'of the next jace'ntjciicuit 'breaker I3 toward the generator, :and the "curve f4 'is ttheftime current' curve of the "circuit breaker :I I 'at "the genera'toror v"source,

g vIt 3will 'be 'noted `that 'circuit breaker' I 8'h'as an I overload llong'i'.iniejportion as' shown in thecurve I 'of curve `I which" is a Ashorter time characteristic for anylferloadjcurrent value'ithan circuit b'reaker I'I "as 'show/"fri bythe corresponding por- "tion 2 'jofcurve j 2. `:More'overgthe'short timedelayiof circuit breakerfl' as shown 'by theportion f!" lof cur've `I r'isffashorter time 'than thefcorre- 'spendingtir'ne'ofA circuit breaker I 'I fas shown by .the yportion ofthe curve 2 for any 4fault current v'alue -up'topointj 5.A Atjthis current value which fis a predetermined'percentage '(i. le.`80%) ofthe interrupting rating of current breaker I8, the time current characteristic of the circuit breaker I8 crosses the time current curves of circuit breaker I'I. Therefor for current values up to that corresponding to point 5, circuit breaker I8 opens faster than circuit breaker I'I. Thus, for example, :at '10,000 amperes, circuit breaker II takes approximately 5 seconds, Whereas circuit breaker I8 takes only .35 second to open.

Correspondingly breaker I'I has a shorter time; current characteristic over the portion 2 of its time-current curve than does circuit breaker I3 as shown by the corresponding portion 3 of its curve `'3. In lthe Vshort circuit range 2" the time current curve for circuit breaker I'I is still shorter than4 for circuit breaker I3 up to the point 6 on the curve 2.

For any current in excess of the value shown at point G, the circuit breaker I'I takes a longer time to trip than does lcircuit breaker I3. Finally the :portion 3 'of circuit breaker I3 shows -a shorter time current characteristic than the portion il for circuit breaker II and the short time `portion 3 of the lcircuit breaker I3 shows a shorter time than does the corresponding portion 'of the curvelfor circuit breaker I I up to the point 'I. At this point, the time characteristic of the circuit breaker |13 becomes longer than that -for circuit breaker LI I.

The net result of this is that for any fault up to or just below .the interrupting rating of circuit bre'aker I8, its Vtime delay mechanism acts faster than any subsequent circuit breaker and will open to interrupt the vfault. At some predetermined current Value just below the interrupting ratingY of circuit breaker I8, the shorttime tripping delay characteristic of the circuit lbreaker I8 becomes longer than the next adjacent circuit breaker I'I and accordingly for any fault current in excess of the interrupting rating of circuit breaker I8, the circuit 'breaker I'I will take over 4and interrupt the vfault. A similar condition Aexists for faults up to or just below the interrupting rating ofvcircuit breaker I'I Yat which 'pointcircuitbreaker I3 begins to act faste-r and will take care of the fault.

Circuit breaker I3 in turn will interrupt any fault up to or just vbelow Vits interrupting rating at which -poi-ntjcircuit breaker II will operate to interrupt the fault Yby virtue of its short-time characteristic.

--I'nasmuch as the iirst circuit vbreaker to open will substantially de-energize the trip coils'of the other-circuitv breakers in the system, any circuit 'breaker which has not vinterrupted 4by the time `the'fault-has been cleared,and the timerof which fhasnot yet released 'its Vtripping mechanism will stay closed. In this manner damage to the smaller rated circuit breakers which could not have adequately interrupted the fault is avoided.

VSuinmarizing vthe above, it will be observed now that by 'a proper coordination of th'eshort time characteristics, each of the'circuit breakers are delayed in openingen a Afault current in excess of yits-maximum interrupting rating until a circuit'bre'aker with 4a higher interrupti-n'g'rating Vhas the opportunity-to "clear the fault. Thus a arrangement of circuit breakers I8, I'I, I3and II.

It will be noted that the long time delay element of each circuit breaker is set to operate at 100% of its normal continuous current rating and that the short time delay element is set to operate at approximately 80% of the interrupting rating of the next smaller circuit breaker.

These settings are dictated by the load requirements and the coordination requirements of the system. The true cascade principle of the setting of the short time armature to 80% of the interrupting rating of the next lower breaker is thus utilized.

It will also be noted that the basic concept of the conventional cascading, namely of using instantaneous trip devices, is also violated.

Circuit breaker I8 has the lowest interrupting capacity in the system. Its long time delay element and short time delay elements will permit unhindered tripping operation according to its characteristics up to 12,000 amperes in the specific case shown in Figure l. Assuming a fault beyond circuit breaker I8, if the magnitude of the fault current be greater than 12,000 amperes, the short time element of circuit breaker 1 Il will serve to operate in less time than that of circuit breaker I8 and consequently will tend to take over the duty of interrupting the fault current provided that the current does not cause the short time element of circuit breaker I3 to operate. For fault currents in excess of the minimum operating setting of the short time element of circuit breaker I3 (20,000 amperes), this circuit breaker I3 will assume the duty of opening the fault current. If the fault current be sufficient to cause the short time or instantaneous element (not shown) of breaker 4 to open, then this circuit breaker will open and isolate the defective fault. Since this last breaker has an interrupting rating equal to or greater than the maximum fault current available, the system will be adequately protected.

In this manner, for current in excess of their maximum interrupting ratings, each breaker will have the opportunity to remain latched in the closed position while the duty of actual interrupting of the fault current is thrust upon a circuit breaker more suitably designed to handle it.

Referring to Figure 3, I have illustrated a specic arrangement of time delays for achieving the above results. A magnet 40 energizable by fault currents in a manner well known in the art, is provided with a winding I50 connected usually in series with the power line which is being protected by the particular circuit breaker.

The magnet 49 is provided with the pivotally mounted armatures 4I and 42, normally biased by springs against their back stops. When either armature 4I or 42 moves to the magnet pole face on energization of the magnet 40, the lever 44 or 45 respectively. engages and operates the tripper bar 48 in the circuit breaker tripping mechanism 49 to trip the circuit breaker. The tripping mechanism 49 controls through the operating mechanism 50, the contact arm I carrying the movable contact 52 engaging a xed contact I5I to maintain the power circuit closed. The specic construction and operation of this operating mechanism is described in detail in application S. N. 127,562 (owned by the present assignee) and filed November 16, 1949.

Armature 4I which is operable under control of the short time delay mechanism 'I3 in response to short circuit fault conditions is provided with a downwardly extending arm which engages the end Il of lever 12 of the short time delay mechanism 13.

Armature 42 which is operable under control of the long time delay mechanism in response to overload conditions is provided with a connecting pin 'I'I through which it is connected to the long time delay or dash pot mechanism 8U. The detail construction and operation of this type of long and short time delay device is described in application, owned by the present assignee, S. N. 148,696 iiled March 9, 1950. In general. however, timer 'I3 comprises gears with a verge providing an escapement which controls the rate of rotation of the gear mechanism. The magnetic pull of magnet 40, determined by the fault current flowing in winding |50, on armature 4I, is transferred through arm 4I and extension 10 to the member 1I secured to and rotatable with the gearing at 12. The rate of movement of 'I0 and therefore armature 4I toward the pole face of magnet 40 is variably delayed by the time delay mechanism 'I2 in accordance with the extent of the fault current. For example, as shown in Figure 1 and described above,if the short time delay mechanism 12 is on the circuit breaker I8, a fault current of 7500 amperes will delay opening to .375 second.

In this case, the long time delay mechanism 8) will not function. It the fault is an overload, the long time delay mechanism which consists of a dash pot as described in the above mentioned application, S. N. 148,696, delays through connecting link TI, the movement of armature 42 toward the pole face.

The time delay 'I2 is constructed as described in the above mentioned application to prevent any outstanding movement of armature 4I when the pull effected by magnet 40 corresponds to overload currents. In the latter case, only armature 42 is moved and under control of the long time delay mechanism 80.

As further described in the above mentioned application, time delay mechanism 'I2 is so constructed that armature 4I is delayed up to a point just before its extension 44 engages trip latch 48. At this point, armature 4I is released from control of the time delay mechanism I2 and the unrestrained force of the magnetic pull of magnet 40 is applied to armature 4I to permit extension 44 to strike trip latch 48 with unrestricted force.

The point 5 on curve I" Figure 1 is selected so that the armature 4I of circuit breaker I8 has not been released from its time delay mechanism at this instant. When therefore, circuit breaker II opens the faulted line at the instant corresponding to point 5, and the magnet 40 of circuit breaker I8 is therefore deenergized, the armature 4I of circuit breaker I8 will return to its deenergized or back stop position without going through to engage and operate its associated tripper latch. In this manner, circuit breaker I8 will in the case of this particular fault current condition stay closed while the line IG is opened by circuit breaker I1. This same condition for the relation of the short timer of circuit breaker Il with relation to the timer of circuit breaker I6 is made at points 6 and 1.

As will now be apparent, the short time delay mechanism 'I3 of each of the circuit breakers is individually adjusted so that the short timer of circuit breaker I8 has the time-current characteristic of curve I-I; circuit breaker I'I has the time-current characteristic of curve 2-2"; circuit breaker I3 has the time-current characteristicofA curve SP3" and of circuit breaker" H- has the time-current characteristic of curve 4 4"- In thisv manner, ifthe fault is in the circuit of circuit breaker ISV and' thefaultcurrent'isfof'a value, that circuit breaker l can'extinguish, cir-- cuit breaker I8: will optenr and only this portion cf the.y system will lose power. Ifthe fault: current is of a valuer which circuiti breaker'cannot extinguish, it will'not attempt to do so. Instead it Ywilllstay closed while circuit breaker IIwill, if the-ffaultgcurrent is of, the value, circuit: breaker il' has theA capacity tointerrupt, open. In this' case, of course', some ofY the system loses. power. This same relative operation will-apply to circuit breakers. mand Il. In the system described above, whenV acircuit breaker is=to be closed, it may close onanexisting; faultcondition. Usually when thisV occurs, the circuitbreaker heretofore employed'being providedwith trip free mechanism, the trip mechanism will function the momentthe circuit4 breaker isY closed to instantly trip the'circuitbreakereven though; closingv forces are still being applied as illustrated in Patent 2,348,228. Where, however, as. in the present system, ya direct acting time delay mechanism is employed, when the contacts of the breaker are closed on a `fault current, the time delay prevents instantaneous opening of the contacts. At the same time, the closing mechanism is functioning to tend toclose the contacts'.

The faultcurrent flowing through the movable armk will set up electromagnetic forces called blow open forces tending to drive the contacts apart. These forces oppose the closing force. As a result, when the contacts are rst closed, the magnetic forces acting against the closing forces drive the contacts apart to open the circuit. Thereupon since the closing force is still acting, the contacts reclose. This cycle of opening and closing or chattering of the contacts may continue until the contacts are destroyed.

The trip magnet controlledby the time delay mechanism does not have an opportunity duringj `this shortl interval thatV the contactsY stay closed to complete a tripping action and the con'- ltacts throughsuch a pumping action are burned and destroyed. Y

Itis accordingly an essential characteristic of any cascadesystem that provision be made to ensure contact engagement and' latching against a fault' current. To this end, I provide in my circuit breaker, anV arrangement whereby while the contact 52 (Fig: 3) is'beingmoved to' engage'- ment with contact l5 i, any electromagnetic forces setup due to-a fault current when the contacts engageand before the contacts are latched in engagement will act to blow the contacts into closer engagement rather than open. This is called blow closed" action'. This blow closed action which occurs before the contacts are lat'ched in engagement thus helpsthe closing operationf to complete contact latchengagement even against a fault current.

The arrangement of the operating mechanism '50 and movable arm 5i is fully described in application S. N. 127,562, led Nov. 16, 1949, owned by the assignee of this application. In gener.- al, the control mechanism itv operated through links 9i andi 925. to operate the arm 5I toward circuit closing position.

Just. before contacts ,5.2 and |511 engage, the :member 93 is latched inv position thus locking links 9i, 92 and vpin ed.. vThe final .closing is effected through links S5. V96 and pin 91- which ini moving. tothe left operates through. pin; 98 to. movev arm;v 5l counterclockwise about the xed pin; Se; until contacts 52 andA l5! engage. immediately after engagement cf the contacts, limbs; 9.5. et and pins- 971.` 98 are madenxed by. latching at; einenl fully described. in the. aber@ referred application,v 127,562.A 1

Innsmuclji as pin 94 is closerto Contact 52 than;- tc 'pin 98;., @urine the perioflf while geniet engagement inst, occurs and. before ieihins ai. 9.9 is completed, the magnetic forces below-pin Si#4 on arm 5| will be greater than the magnetic forces above pin 94. magnetic eect is a blow on of contacts 52 and. itilY until the latch at 9B is completel and the time delaymechanism functions to trip the movable arm.

Since pin 98 is Xed during tripping, pin 94 is; movable, the latch at 93 being, opened, the usual blow-open action is produced onarm 5l. While Ifhave illustrated one form of'iny invention, it willbe clear that it may take ther forms within the spirit of myinvention, and I intend to be. limited. only te theV appended claims.Y

l.` In aselective trip system having a plurale ity of circuitA breakers, each of different interrupting, capacities, connected` in series, between av source and a load with the breaker closer to the load having the lower capacity, each 'of said circuit breakers having a fault current re-A sponsive device-and a tripping mechanism actuated by its associated fault current responsive device for tripping itsassociated contact to dis.- engagement, timeV delay means for each of said circuit breakers mechanically connected' to its associated fault current responsive device for 'delaying'. the operation of its associated fault current responsive device, said time delay means comprising ashort time delay mechanism and a long time delay mechanism; said tripping mechanism having e trip .device associated With each cf said longen@ short time deiavinechenisms, the time-current charaterisiii of' each of said circuitbreekers provided by its esso'- ciated time delavmeans providing' Shorter time of' operation for the 'Circuit breaker' einser in the: load than for the .circuit breaker' nearer to the-source up tothe interrupting capacity of the first mentioned circuit breaker land having a longer time than' for the circuit breaker'nearer the source at just below the interrupting rating of the first mentionedv circuit breaker.

2. Ina selective trip system having a plurality voi"ci'rcuit breakers Aconnected inseries,kh each of 'having' a shortertime ofgoperation than the ,breaker having they larger interrupting Capacity up to the interrupting capacity of Seid first men'- .tioned breaker and having ,a longer ,time ofv op- `eration than the breakerv having. the larger interrupting V.capacity for current velues abbve iis As a result, the netV 3. In a selective trip system having a plurality of circuit breakers connected in series. each of the circuit breakers having individual interrupting capacities each of said circuit breakers also having fault current responsive devices energized by the fault current in the line being protected by its associated circuit breaker and a tripping mechanism directly actuated by its associated fault current responsive device for tripping its associated contact to contact disengaged position, a short and a long time delay mechanism mechanically connected to its fault current responsive device, the circuit breaker having the lower interrupting capacity having a shorter time of operation than the breaker having the larger interrupting capacity up to a predetermined percentage of the interrupting A capacity of said rst mentioned breaker and having a longer time of operation than the breaker having the larger interrupting capacity for current values above a predetermined percentage of its interrupting rating.

4. In a selective trip system having a plurality of circuit breakers, each of different interrupting capacities, each of said circuit breakers having a fault current responsive device and a tripping mechanism actuated by its associated fault current responsive device for tripping its associated contact to disengagement, a long and a short time delay mechanism connected to its associated fault current responsive device for delaying the operation of its associated tripping mechanism, the long and the short time delay mechanism of the circuit breaker closest to the load having the shortest time of operation up to just below the interrupting capacity of said breaker and the next larger circuit breaker in the system having a shorter time of operation at just below and all values above the interrupting rating of the iirst mentioned circuit breaker.

5. In a selective trip system having a plurality of circuit breakers connected in series, each of the circuit breakers having individual interrupting capacities, each of said circuit breakers also having fault current responsive devices energized by the fault current in the line being protected by its associated circuit breaker and a tripping mechanism directly actuated by its associated fault current responsive device for tripping its associated contact to contact disengaged position a long and a short time delay mechanism mechanically connected to its fault current responsive device, the circuit breaker having the smallest interrupting capacity having a shorter time of operation than the breaker having the next larger interrupting capacity, up to or near the interrupting capacity of said first mentioned breaker and the circuit breaker of the next larger size having a shorter time of operation than the first mentioned circuit breaker for larger current values, said long time delay mechanism of said next larger size circuit breaker causing the opening of said larger size circuit breaker at an interrupting capacity below the interrupting rating of said rst mentioned breaker for faults between said circuit breakers.

CORNELIUS J. RIDGLEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,530,443 Traver Mar. 17, 1925 1,763,258 Ross June 10, 1930 2,372,134 Steeb Mar. 30, 1945 2,439,165 Graves Apr. 6, 1948 2,488,745 Stratton Nov. 22, 1949 

